1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a windshield wiper arm with a first component arm, a second arm component and a hinge which joins the first and the second arm component to one another with a folding capacity so that the two component arms can be pivoted relative to one another out of an initial position into a pivoted-up position.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the component arms of the windshield wiper arm is provided with a windshield wiper rubber and the other windshield wiper arm is caused to execute pivoting motion by a windshield wiper drive. In the initial position the windshield wiper rubber rests on the windshield to be cleaned. The two component arms are pivoted relative to one another into the pivoted-up position in order to replace the windshield wiper rubber, for example. In the known windshield wiper arms in which one of the two component arms is provided with two hinge clips which are parallel to one another and which surround the other arm component the pivoted-up position in the overextended state is defined by the crosspiece between the two hinge clips of one arm component adjoining the other component arm. On the one hand, the disadvantage here is that based on the resulting linear contact between the two component arms, locally very high stresses can arise which can lead to damage of an enamel layer which is present, for example. On the other hand, the disadvantage is that one arm component adjoins the other in the area which is visible from the outside when the two component arms assume their initial position relative to one another so that possible damage becomes apparent.
The object of the invention is to develop a windshield wiper arm of the initially mentioned type such that the pivoted-up position of the two component arms relative to one another is defined precisely and no damage to the two component arms at all can occur when they adjoin one another in the pivoted-up position.
The windshield wiper arm in accordance with the invention has the advantage that, at this point, there are separate stop surfaces which can be designed with regard to the respective requirements. On the one hand, a comparatively large contact surface between the catch and the projection can be chosen so that the contact forces are small. On the other hand, the catch and the projection can be arranged such that they are not apparent during operation.
The invention is described below with reference to two embodiments which are shown in the attached drawings.